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Ranves Darn
' Ranves Darn' was the pseudonym assumed by the anonymous writer of the controversial set of highly liberal and revolutionary pamphlets known as the Freedom Papers which were published in the early spring of 623 K.C. Directed mostly at the poor and downtrodden peoples of the Arathi Highlands, Stormwind, and the scattered enclaves of humanity in northern Lordaeron, the papers did much to spark controversy around the ascension of the Duchess Hellissa Brisby to the claimed post of Regent of the Kingdom of Stromgarde. The papers, scattered primarily by secret print shops under the command of Ranves Darn, were dissiminated by traveling merchants and tradesman to many peoples throughout the north and south of the Eastern Kingdoms and were subsequently used by the merchants as the foundation for radical revolutionary speech and insurgent activity. The peak of this activity was witnessed in late March when, in a grand scheme, a fleet of several flying machines managed to drop leaflets and blare audio recordings of the speech to the massive throngs of spectators who had gathered in the reclusive Lordaerian state of Blackmarsh to witness a tournament held by Queen-Claimant Madelynne I. Shortly after the publication of the third pamphlet of the Freedom Papers, publication of the series mysteriously ended. Within a matter of weeks many of the itenerate merchant revolutionaries under the employ of Darn were captured by local authorities or forced to flee to Brisby's lands. Today many of the supporters who were disappointed with the sudden end of their revolution, have since relocated to the territories ruled by Regent Brisby. There was speculation for a short period of time that Ranves Darn may have been an anagram from Vesran Rand, a well known and very public supporter of Lady Brisby who was also known to be one of her top aides. Sir Rand vehementely denied that he was the author of the papers and no proof has yet to arise that concretely links him to paper. Despite his denials, however, it is still widely rumored and believed that Mr. Rand is the writer of the Freedom Papers. Secret Identity , the then de facto leader of the Church of the Holy Light.]]Whilst unknown to all but the smallest cabal of co-conspirators, the pamphlets were actually penned by the high ranking church official and statesman, Count Erich Gottfried Manstein. The name Ranves Darn was chosen intently not only to mask his own identity but to throw suspicion upon a top aide of Lady Brisby's by the name of Vesran Rand, a ploy which was widely successful in averting any suspicion from the Count. Although the papers contained a decididly pro-Brisby liberal approach, the infamously staunch advocate of consverative noble policy, Count Manstein, supposadly wrote them in an effort to drive a political wedge between the Regent Brisby and Queen Madelynne I. Manstein was, at the time, the chief Church diplomat operating in the Highlands and sought to use the division to gain influence and power over the disperate factions scattered about the Arathi Highlands. In some respects the strategy was successful, as the ties between the Queen and Regent became strained over Brisby's refusal to publically denounce the papers. Ultimately, however, Manstein's goal of gaining indirect political control over the Highlands would prove decididly less fruitful. Suffering from disagreements too profound and deeply rooted to be overcome, the factions of Stromgarde soon descended into Civil War as a result of the growing instability caused by a myriad of sources, the Freedom Papers included. Despite Manstein's inability to gain the direct political control over the Highlands that he sought, the Church would continue to use the Civil War and internal strife within the region to exert its influence and maintain the strength of its scattered holdings in the area. Category:Characters Category:Human Category:The Freedom Papers